Football players suspended for beating duck

MOULTONBOROUGH, N.H. -- A video captured in Moultonborough, New Hampshire shows several high school football players beating a duck, WMUR reports.

The video was captured roughly two weeks ago.

Wild ducks were lured from the water with several football players from Kennett High School standing around.

"The heinous activity of a duck being hit over the head with a broomstick, I guess, is what ended up happening and essentially one of the other students euthanized the duck. It was maimed pretty badly," said Kevin Richard, the superintendent.

Coaches were informed and then police and fish and game officials were brought in to investigate.

"These students are juveniles, so they certainly can't be charged with anything their parents would be charged if we charged them and the fine amounts would be minuscule," said Major David Walsh of New Hampshire Fish and Game. "So suspensions and community service everyone agreed was the effective punishment."

Richard said some students ended up with game suspensions, community service and more.

Since the incident, the school has received many calls from people who are outraged about what happened.

"You do have very strong opinions both ways and you try to come back to what you think is reasonable and also recognizing that these are adolescents...that make bad choices and this was a grievous mistake," Richard said.

The superintendent says each of the students involved have different punishment levels based on their involvement in this incident.